Cape Town, Cairo, Churchill, Crater Lake, Cuba, Cape Breton…
I can think of many places I’d like to
go that begins with the letter C, but I am going to choose Cuba. In a way I am bit sad not to have visited
while the embargo was on. The whole
embargo thing seemed wrong, especially as it went into its fifth decade. I’m glad Obama decided to end it. Now that it is legal to visit, some of the
adventure is gone, but I’d still enjoy visiting. Like Obama, I’d catch a baseball game or
two.  |
| Train leaving Havana -from the internet as I've not been there to take my own photos |
What I really want to do is to
explore the island via train, taking it from Havana to Santiago de Cuba. Sadly, from what I hear, the train has fallen
into disrepair and is always behind (but then I have no problem in taking my
chances when it comes to a train. In addition to the train, I’d hope to spend
some time hiking in the mountains as John Muir had wanted to do before catching malaria. I’d also spend a few days
swimming and sunning on the lovely beaches that ring the island and a night or
two in old Havana. For souvenirs, I’d
shop from cubavera linen shirts, maybe even a linen suit (now that I’m living
down south, there is no need to adding more wool to my wardrobe). I’d
also pick up a bottle of rum, some coffee, bottles of hot sauce, and a bunch of
cigars to share with friends. To learn
more about trains in Cuba, check out the dude in seat 61. He writes about trains all over the world and
his website is the place to go to find out about rail travel.
Gotta try that Cuban food!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you can get Cuban sandwiches there or if that's just an american thing? I've eaten in some good Cuban restaurants in the states.
DeleteI've eaten Cuban food, when there ... lots of fish, lots of chicken ... and lots of fresh vegetables ... and lots of friendly conversation ... they are a bit pushy, when it comes to souvenir shopping, but haggling helps ... smiles ... like anywhere else in the world ... smiles ... Love, cat.
DeleteMy Spanish language instructor at Georgia State University was one of the children from Operation Peter Pan in the early '60s, in which children were allowed to leave Cuba, without their parents, and live in a camp in Miami. She was eventually reunited with her parents and they relocated to my home town, Milledgeville, Georgia. Amazing to hear that.
ReplyDeleteShe said her daughter and American born husband visited Cuba a few years ago and she directed them how to find her family's home. They reported it was also in serious disrepair and had about five families living in it now. Life after Castro.
I'd love to see it, too, though. The news reports have been fascinating.
It isn't the paradise it could be...
DeleteBut it IS paradise ... if U go there and meet some of the peeps PERSONALLY ... U will find paradise ... and at a good price ... Love, cat.
DeleteI dated a boy in high school whose parents fled Cuba around 1960. It never sounded like a vacation spot to me!
ReplyDeleteI had a physics prof in college who had fled Cuba then... One day, she said I was sounding like a communist and I thought for sure I was going to flunk the class but I made an A in it.
DeleteO, it is a dandy vacation spot, alright ... Fly with Sunwing and book all inclusive for 7 days ... U will love it ... Love, cat.
DeleteHere in Mexico it's just a hop to Cuba and even before Americans were allowed to go over there, they were going there from here. The Cuban immigration knew not to stamp the passports and of course no credit cards could be used. I will go sometime this year or next before all the hotels come in and make it look like Florida. The people there love the tourist $$.
ReplyDeleteI had met Cubans in Honduras and Costa Rica and knew that it was easy from any of those countries to jump over to the island and to have a slip of paper in your passport (to be taken out before returning to the US) with the stamp.
Delete... and U will like it ... fly with Sunwing ... Love, cat.
DeleteI asked about the trains in Cuba, and your information is right on. They run, but not well and are in shabby condition according to the people there. I would have loved to have taken a train from Havana to Trinidad.
ReplyDeleteI hope they get their trains back running in better condition, but I can't believe that are as bad as the train I took in Vietnam to the Chinese border. I was expecting on that train to have to get out and start pushing at any moment.
DeleteFly with Sunwing, and they take your everywhere in Cuba ... all inclusive ... Love, cat.
DeleteHave been in Cuba many times ... which is quite possible and reasonably priced for Canadians anyway ... made a really good friend there ... her name is Isabel ... she invited me 2 her home and all ... so lovely ... so poor ... I gave her $20 Can and she cried 4 joy ... cuz $20 is their monthly income ... anyway ... goin back there Apr 15th to 22nd ... Hope u can go 2 Cuba soon, hmmm? (I noticed, U never comment on my posts ... not: http://catsruledogsdroole.blogspot.com/ nor http://ckpeacemaker.wordpress.com/ ... but that's okay ... smiles ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy for a "period" to be lost in my blogroll... but I'll stop by and appreciate your comments about Cuba.
DeleteCuba would be a pretty cool place to see. I thought the whole embargo thing was kind of ridiculous, too. I hope you get to visit some day.
ReplyDeleteThankfully the embargo is over
Delete... they would have everything they need right there in paradise Cuba ... if only the government wouldn't collect monies on everything they produce/ "own" ... for example: fishing for local consummation is allowed only on week ends ... and if you have cows, and slaughter one for yourself and family, and get caught, it means 25 years in prison ... the young people are all for Obama and the States, but the older peeps are very cautious, because they remember, that ... well ... in the end everyone cooks with water ... no matter where you live ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteCuba is one place I've never had much desire to visit. To each his own, though. If you do visit there someday, I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI tend to enjoy the far out places of the world!
DeleteAbout all I know about Cuba I learned from reading Hemingway, and that is pretty outdated.
ReplyDeleteBut obviously Hemingway is still important there.
DeleteI hope the Cubans hold on to those old cars and make them tourist attractions like cable cars in San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteThe cynic in me thinks they'll probably sell them to American car collectors
DeleteAll say Cuba is beautiful and the people is really nice. Hope they have a nice and better life !
ReplyDeleteI do hope things get better now the embargo is over.
DeleteCanadians have long prized Cuba as an economical vacation destination. Although I've never been, a few of my friends have and they loved it! Hopefully, lifting the embargo will improve Cubans' standard of living.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the fact that the pope and The Rolling Stones recently visited there!
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad Americans can finally go. It seems that flights are pretty expensive and limited at the moment, but I'm hoping to make it soon.
ReplyDeleteDepending on how long you stay, you can make your train trip (that gives you a clue as to how long you will be waiting for said train! :-D).
ReplyDeleteI would advise you to take advantage of private houses (casas particulares) and rent one. They are cheaper than state-run hotels and they will bring you into contact with locals much closer.
Greetings from London.